Test

"Coins?"

Ma Qiao saw the objects flying toward him clearly, as well as their trajectory.

This move...

Ma Qiao remembered that, in an original storyline from the One Piece anime, there seemed to be an old Marine who flicked coins. (As shown)

Could I have run into that guy?

Fortunately, the coin wasn't flying particularly fast.

Ma Qiao moved slightly to shield Vivi, who had no idea what was happening, and watched the coin fly past them.

The coin wasn't aimed at Ma Qiao. Its target was behind him.

Twitch, who was on the deck, enthusiastically inviting Garen to sample the mold on some cheese and being soundly rejected.

Thud!

"For those who cannot fight!"

"Where the man is, so is the rat!"

Garen's sword came down, cleaving the coin in two.

As a knight, Garen faithfully carried out Ma Qiao's order.

Protect Twitch at all costs.

Twitch, however, clearly didn't appreciate it.

He jumped up and angrily pounded on Garen's broad back.

"Hey, hey, hey! Big idiot, who are you calling someone who can't fight?"

"Just you wait till I get Kraken Slayer, Runaan's Hurricane, and Infinity Edge! I'll be super brave, okay?!"

At the G-2 docks.

"Yare yare..."

"Major Kuppas, your 'coin' bullet was easily stopped, wasn't it?"

Vice Admiral Comil, a powerhouse with a bald crown and a fringe of hair, lowered his telescope with a smile. Beside him, an elderly Marine field officer gave a wry smile.

This old Marine was none other than the coin-flicking powerhouse Ma Qiao remembered—Major Kuppas.

He was now over sixty, but his strength was still considerable, placing him among the best majors at headquarters.

The coin bullet he had used for the test was certainly not his full strength, but even Kuppas hadn't expected someone to cut it in half with a single stroke.

"Quite a few strong young people have been appearing all over the place lately!"

Vice Admiral Momonga patted Kuppas on the shoulder, offering a little comfort.

Turning around, he looked solemnly at Garen's figure in the distance.

Vice Admiral Comil came over.

"What is it, old classmate? Do you think there's something wrong with that young man?"

"Yes. For someone with swordsmanship like that to become friends with that brat Nezumi, I'm worried he has an ulterior motive."

Although his nephew Nezumi really had changed a great deal recently,

It seemed unlikely no matter how he looked at it that trash like him could become friends with such an outstanding, highly skilled young man, with his thick brows, big eyes, and righteous bearing.

"Why don't we have Major Tuya test him?" Comil suggested.

"Tuya?"

Momonga had clearly heard the name and knew about her ability.

He hesitated. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate? The young man isn't a pirate, after all..."

"It's better to test him anyway."

Comil pulled out a document. It was Garen's "enlistment application," which Twitch had sent ahead using the warship's fax Den Den Mushi.

"Nezumi wants to recruit this young man into the Marines and take him to serve in East Blue?"

Momonga grew serious as well. "Then a test really is necessary... But we must keep the results strictly confidential!"

"Of course."

Comil nodded. "After all, during Major Tuya's tests, even the most righteous officers at headquarters have revealed the evil in human nature while hypnotized!

Since ancient times, justice has been judged by deeds, not thoughts. Otherwise, no one in this world could shoulder the burden of justice!

So, as long as this young man isn't guilty of heinous crimes, we must keep his results confidential, no matter what evil thoughts he reveals during the test."

To Ma Qiao's surprise, the process of applying for professional credentials went unexpectedly smoothly.

All he had to do was sign his name and have his photo taken, and just like that, Ma Qiao became a talent specialist certified by the Marines.

The certificate would take some time to make, so Ma Qiao and his group settled into the Marine guesthouse for the time being.

Judging by the furnishings in the guesthouse and the quality of the food in the buffet, the G-2 Branch certainly wasn't short on funding.

In the dining hall, the plates in front of Ma Qiao had already reached a frightening height, yet the cooks didn't complain at all.

Big eaters were commonplace in the Marines.

Ma Qiao sighed. He felt that if he hadn't somehow become one of Crocodile's subordinates, joining the Marines would have been an excellent choice too.

The benefits were so good. It was a real shame he was only an outside associate.

"Mr. Ma Qiao, is the food here to your liking?"

A deep voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

Only then did Ma Qiao notice that a middle-aged man with a bald crown and a fringe of hair had appeared beside him at some point. The stack of plates in front of the man had already caught up with his own.

"I'm Comil, the man in charge of G-2 Base."

The middle-aged man had no intention of concealing his identity.

In fact, the justice coat on his shoulders made it impossible to conceal his identity anyway.

"Very much so. I haven't eaten this well in a long time."

Ma Qiao grabbed a roast chicken and stuffed it into his mouth again, showing no sign of holding back.

From what Ma Qiao knew of the pirate world, big eaters always appreciated one another.

So stuffing himself with food and drink was also a means of diplomacy, one that could quickly bring people closer.

"Ho, what an energetic young man!"

Comil also picked up a leg of lamb and began eating it in great mouthfuls.

About half an hour later.

Even the chefs at the G-2 dining hall were a little dumbfounded.

There was actually a beast in this world who could eat as much as the vice admiral.

And the key was, this guy was just a little fellow of 1.88 meters!

"Thank you for the meal!"

Holding his belly, Ma Qiao slumped back in his chair.

Even when the food was free, it was best not to eat too much. Being stuffed to 120 percent was enough.

Otherwise, getting an upset stomach wouldn't be worth it.

Seeing Ma Qiao finally stop, Comil let out a long breath.

He struggled to stuff the last piece of meat into his mouth, preserving the dignity of a veteran powerhouse.

"Impressive, young man. No wonder you can hold your own against a Devil Fruit User."

On the Grand Line, Devil Fruit powers were nothing special, of course.

But this was near the entrance to the Grand Line, closer to Reverse Mountain than Alabasta was. Whether pirates or Pirate Hunters, their average strength couldn't compare with those in places like the New World.

Speaking of which, Ma Qiao felt he ought to report something.

When the staff had asked him to register his details earlier, there hadn't even been a field for Devil Fruit powers. It had been far too careless.

"Vice Admiral, I'm actually a Devil Fruit User too."

"Oh?"

Comil wasn't surprised. He asked with interest, "What fruit do you have?"

Ma Qiao adjusted his scarf and answered solemnly, "I am the user of the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, cap... Ah, no, I'm the user of the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Penguin."

Hearing Ma Qiao introduce himself, Comil unsurprisingly sprayed the last piece of meat from his throat, plastering it onto the face of an unlucky cook.

"Cough, cough, cough."

"Please don't joke about that! Do you know what a Mythical Zoan means? Those fruits are even rarer than Logia Devil Fruits, and every one of their users can easily attain the combat strength of a Rear Admiral or higher!"